Learning to live
by Cherry Law
Summary: Elsa is the daughter of a billionaire who has brought her up to take over his empire. Anna comes from a not so wealthy family but has managed to make her way, staying kind and sweet. Can Anna show Elsa how to enjoy the simple things in life and help her get to know herself before it's too late? Can Elsa help Anna through the tragedy that's about to strike? Elsanna, not related.
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone, this is my first shot at an Elsanna story, I hope you enjoy! Please let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: No ownership over Frozen

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"Elsa…Elsa!" The repeated sound of her name brought Elsa back to reality. She had been staring out the window at the snow falling, pretending to be somewhere else, away from her father.

"Father?" she asked turning back to face him, unconsciously smoothing the elegant black dress she was wearing.

"God, Elsa, I've been preparing you your whole life for this and you've been dozing off all day. What's going on?" Agdar was a tall man, with strong features and a self confidence about him that could make anybody doubt themselves. He had raised Elsa on his own since her mother had left them when Elsa was only five; because of this, he had worked hard to make sure her only daughter turned into a poised, intelligent and well rounded woman. And now, as they stood inside the room that would become Elsa's office waiting for the firm's lawyer to arrive he wondered what was going on through her daughter's head. He had never been a sentimental person and just the idea of asking Elsa if something was wrong made him uncomfortable so he didn't push further when the blonde didn't answer. He walked over to one of the bookcases on the other side of the room and looked over the titles. He heard Elsa sigh and knew she had turned back to the window. He knew the girl was not completely happy about the situation but he also knew she would thank him one day. She would realize everything he'd done for her and the amazing opportunity he had given her, how he had positioned her to have the best life she could ever hope for. After all, he had built it all for her.

Elsa stood at the window, her hands carefully poised on the window sill. Something about the coolness of it helped her relax. The snow was falling lightly outside and she could barely see any movement in the street below. A young couple holding hands was walking while they kept their bodies pressed together, most likely trying to stay warm. Elsa wanted more than anything to be out there. She wanted to feel the snowflakes on her skin, she wanted to escape this corporate world her father had so intricately involved her in and yet she knew it would devastate him to do it. All her life, she had been mentally trained for this one moment. She had been sent to the top private schools in the country; always having personal tutors to help her study, or as her father liked to say, to get ahead of the race. She had started taking college courses by the time she was 15 and was also attending board meetings with her father by that time. Now, at 23, she already had an MBA from an Ivy League University and yet she felt as if she had been losing so much time. All those extracurricular activities that meant, not only joining debate and entrepreneurship clubs but also practicing arts and sports since her father pointed out that only this would help her develop herself as a person in full so, aside from all the academical demands, she had spent hours and hours taking violin lessons, practicing several sports (of course, nothing that put her in too much risk of getting hurt), painting, singing, learning how to act during business meetings, speaking more than three languages and, although she had expected her father to relax a little when she went away to college, his demands had never been harder. She needed to work on her social skills networking with teachers and students "of her stature" as her father said. They had fights over her choice of friends and he would always end up winning. It wasn't long before there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Agdar's deep voice carried throughout the room. A girl, not much older than Elsa, stepped into the room discretly.

"Sir, Mr. Andrews is here," she said referring to the lawyer.

"Thank you. Send him in." Elsa recognized the polite but dry tone in her father's voice. This had been what she had grown up knowing. The girl nodded simply and walked out. Then the lawyer walked in with a smile on his face. He looked over at Elsa and then headed on to shake Adgar's hand.

"Sir," he said.

"Mr. Andrews, I hope you didn't have any trouble with the snow out there," Agdar said.

"Fortunately, the storm seems to be holding off."

"Right, well then, let's get to it so we can let you go back home before it hits." Elsa's heart suddenly started beating faster, she knew fate was about to run into her and although she knew her father had been planning this for all those years, she still didn't feel sure about sealing her future this way. The words her father had just said resonated in her mind. Of course, he wanted to send Mr. Andrews off but he meant to stay and work until late at night, as he usually did, and of course, it was the least he expected from Elsa and the rest of his workers as well. Signing those papers the lawyer had in the briefcase he was placing over the desk meant this firm, this life was all she could expect for her future. She looked at her father and wondered if he was really happy living like this. She knew she wouldn't be, but what good was it to try to fight against her father's wishes and demands? She knew all too well that it had never worked out in the past.

"Elsa, come over." The demand in her father's voice made her move without even thinking.

"Well, Miss Winter, will you be celebrating later today?" Mr. Andrews asked trying to lighten the tense mood in the room

"I think celebrations should come later on, once she's proved she can actually manage things." Agdar cut in before Elsa could even answer.

"Well, I believe young people deserve the chance to let loose every now and then, after all, we're only young once, right?" the lawyer said smiling as he looked up from the papers he was pulling out and smiled at the businessman. Elsa knew they had known each other for a while and she wondered if he knew something about his father that they weren't willing to share with her.

"Yes, well, I believe that young people who have someone to lead and mentor them have a much better chance of being successful." He said glancing over at Elsa briefly.

"Alright well, just as you asked, a cease of 30% of the assets to Elsa's name. If you'd like to look it over once more…" Mr. Andrews handed Agdar the papers.

"Thank you," he said taking the papers. He sat down behind the desk and put on the glasses that were sitting on it. He began to read, a frown of concentration forming on his brow. Elsa looked at him and then at the lawyer. She knew her father never signed a contract before reading the whole thing and considering the amount of pages on it, she knew it would take a while. "Elsa? Are not going to sit down and read the contract as well?" he said without even looking up. Mr. Andrews hurriedly pulled a copy of the contract from the briefcase and offered it. Elsa walked carefully towards it, knowing that every step was drawing her closer to giving up whatever dream she might have for herself. She took the bunch of papers and sat down on the other side of the desk. Her eyes kept going over the same passage over and over. This was not right; she felt a tightness in her throat, a heavy weight on her chest. Yes, she might have been brought up knowing she would one day own the billion dollar worth corporation but that did not mean she wanted to. All she wanted was to have a chance at being happy before it was too late. She turned a page, pretending she was done reading the first one but her mind kept racing. She should just stand up and walk out the door. She could figure things out, she always had, and this was not the only option, right? But for her father, it was. Although he was not an easy person to read, she knew he had devoted his life to this company and he wanted her to have a part in it. Although he had never expressed his pride for his daughter, she knew he must have been please, he wouldn't be offering something like this if he wasn't. But if she didn't speak up now, there would be no way to do it later, her life would have to be devoted to the company, there would be no way out of it once the papers were signed. She needed to say something. She really needed to speak up. She turned another page. Her heart raced. Her father would go crazy, she knew him well enough to know that. Could she? Could she shatter up every dream he had for her? Every hope? Everything he'd worked so hard to accomplish? _One day, you'll understand that you've been living his life, not yours, and I just hope that when that day comes, it's not too late for you to begin your own. _Someone she had loved had said those words to her and they suddenly came back to her mind. Although she had discarded them at the time, sure about the fact that even though she'd do anything to please her father, she was also enjoying herself, she now knew they were true.

"Elsa?" her father asked. He had finished reading and had already signed the set of papers in his possession. He offered them to Elsa for her to sign.

"Father I…" she struggled to find the right words to express what she was feeling.

"Sign Elsa." It was an order, a simple order, requesting a scribble on paper, but it suddenly felt like he was asking her to sign her death sentence.

"I can't," she said simply. The expression on her father's eyes would haunt her for way too long but somehow she gathered the strength to stand up, grab her purse and walk out of the room as her heels clacked on the marble floors that led all the way out to the street.

"Elsa!" she heard her father shout once he had recovered from the initial shock.

"Shall I ask for your car Miss Winter?" the receptionist asked as she ran after Elsa.

"No, thanks Rapunzel, I think I will walk."

"But it's freezing outside…" the girl insisted as she looked over the outfit Elsa was wearing. Surely it was not a good idea to go walking on the snow with those heels. Noticing the expression on the girl's face, Elsa gave it a second thought.

"You're right Rap, thanks for always looking out for me," she said in a much kinder tone. The girl just smiled and walked over to her desk to call the valet and ask for Elsa's car.

"Elsa, get back here!" Her father's voice echoed on the hall. And Elsa almost turned around and walked back into that office, but she had made a decision and if she had learned something from her father it was that she should stand by her decisions so she stayed where she was and hoped it didn't take too long for her car to arrive.

"He doesn't sound in the best of moods," Rapunzel tried to be nice, although they were not friends, she had seen Elsa work around the office and she knew how demanding her father was so she could only imagine how hard things must have been for the girl all her life.

"I think he won't be in a very good mood for a while…sorry about that."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Thanks but…I think I just need to get out of here before he comes barging out of that office and tries to drag me back in there."

"Right umm…yeah, your car should be here in no time, let me call again."

"Thanks, I think I'll wait outside." Elsa waved politely to Rapunzel and walked out. The wind seemed to be picking up and it flapped her dress while she waited. She shivered; it wasn't that she was cold but she felt scared to death. A part of her expected her father to walk out any minute and demand an explanation, another part of her knew that her father must have seen this coming and had probably pushed her to sign as soon as possible so she could not back out but things had clearly not worked out his way. It wasn't long before her brand new Audi Q5 SUV came into view. The valet opened the door for her and closed it after she got in. She hurriedly put on her seatbelt and drove off trying to get her father's expression and his voice out of her head. She felt a small smile form in her lips as she realized that for the first time in forever, she felt like she could do anything.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everyone! Thank you for the likes and follows I'm already getting! I hope you keep enjoying the story! Here's Anna's intro.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Frozen.**

"Anna!" Kristoff's annoyed voice came from the yard. Anna threw her arms around her parents one last time.

"I hate saying goodbye," she said softly as they returned the embrace.

"It's only for a little while kiddo, we'll see you soon," her father offered. He kissed her daughter's head.

"Right, I'll be back for Thanksgiving, I promise. I'll call as soon as we get there." Even though she'd already let go of her parents, she went in for one last hug and then hurried out before her brother could scream her name again.

"Geez Anna, every single time…" he was clearly annoyed as he walked over to the driver's side of the old Ford their parents had given them before they left for college a few years back.

"Sorry insensitive man, I don't get to see them as often as you do, could you be a little more understanding?" Anna said while putting on her seatbelt.

"They're just mom and dad Anna," Kristoff said as he pulled out of the driveway.

"You know what, forget it. Next time I'll come on my own." Anna pulled out her iPod and headphones and closed her eyes pretending she didn't have a two hour drive with Kristoff ahead. Kristoff and Anna had been raised in a farm on the outskirts of the city. They had had a good life growing up, a loving family, food on their table, a good education and after all, an opportunity to get out of that small town once they were old enough to go to college. Although Anna could have easily graduated high school by the time she was sixteen, she felt an undeniable bond to her twin brother and an obligation towards her parents that she could not deny; so she had stayed until they were 18, taking on small jobs in town. Afterwards, she had been accepted early with a scholarship into Arrendale University, or AU as most called it and while Kristoff did send out a few applications of his own, he was more akin to the idea of finding a job in the city and making a life for himself outside of the town they had grown up calling home. Although their parents were not happy to see them go, they were proud and had always been supportive of their decisions so they pulled up some of the money they had saved over the years and bought them this car, saying that way it would be easier for them to come back home to spend a weekend or as much time as they wanted whenever they wanted to. Kristoff visited often. He had a job that paid enough for him to survive in the city but he couldn't deny the fact that coming home and having his mom cook up a few day's worth of food made his life much easier. Plus, even though he would never admit it out loud, being back in the farm, with so much clean air and freedom around him was always a nice escape from the grey city and cramped space he lived in and shared with two other roommates who clearly couldn't care less about keeping their living space clean and who didn't really care for the country boy living with them. Anna, on the other side was already a senior and had a job as a supervisor in a famous floral shop, Flowered Up and although it was not one she loved, it helped her get enough money to make a living and send some back to her parents, plus, she had become really good friends with the owner. She was preparing herself to apply as an intern at one of America's most prestigious companies. She knew that if she could get a spot as an intern, her life would be made. She would be able to help her parents with some money to restore the farm and she knew she could make her way to the top. As she thought about her dream working at North Mountain Corporation she noticed how they left the country side and moved into the city. Her eyes closed again until they came to a stop.

"Anna...?" Krsitoff asked gently.

"I'm sorry about what I said, I just miss them." Anna told her brother while she took off her headphones.

"Yeah, I'm sorry too kid," Kristoff said ruffling Anna's hair. They smiled at each other.

"I'm glad you get the chance to see them often, it means a lot, you know? And even though you guys are trying to keep it a secret, I know you're helping out at the farm." Anna had to admit that even though her older brother could be annoying, he did care enough for their parents and she had seen a difference for the past few months when he'd started going back more often. She could tell he was making an effort to get things moving in the farm and it gave her one more reason to get that internship.

"Thanks Anna, we'll find a way to get things going once again."

"We will, together." The both smiled and Kristoff kept driving until they arrived at Anna's apartment. He opened the trunk for her to get her backpack and waited until she walked into the building before heading to his own place. Anna walked up the stairs glad that she had packed lightly. She opened the door to find her roommate in the kitchen.

"Hey Rap," Anna said happy to see her home. The short brunette walked over to hug Anna.

"Ugh, I miss you so much when you're not here, everything is so quiet!" Anna laughed.

"I was only gone for a couple nights."

"I know, still…it's weird." Rapunzel moved back to the kitchen where she was cooking some eggs.

"Is that breakfast?" Anna asked looking over at the clock on the wall that said it was already 1:15pm.

"Yes, well, I decided to sleep in today."

"Where's Eugene?" Anna asked grabbing an apple from the counter and taking a bite. Eugene was Rapunzel's boyfriend and they were usually together.

"He has some big exam tomorrow and he said he didn't want any distractions so he took the whole weekend to focus."

"Oh, well that gives you some time for yourself…" Anna said smiling.

"Yeah, it's actually been good, I've been catching up on some books and series and now you're back! Do you want to go with me to that lovely bookstore we ran into the other day?"

"Umm…can we do it a bit later?" Anna asked. "I said I'd stop by Flowered Up to help out with a few arrangements."

"A few arrangements?" Rapunzel asked raising an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're not going there just to see certain blonde?" Anna blushed at the comment; even though she had never thought about Shawn, the shop owner, in that way, Rapunzel's insistence had made her start to wonder whether there was actually something going on between the two of them. The girl had been a bit overly friendly for the last few weeks.

"Rap! Stop it, she's just my friend."

"Fine…well, don't get too friendly, let me know once you get the job done, there's this book I really want to get."

"Ok, it won't take long, I promise." Anna walked into her room and dropped her backpack. She changed into a dark grey shirt that made her bright blue eyes stand out and brushed her hair and braided it. Then she ran downstairs and walked the three blocks to the shop.

"Anna!" Shawn exclaimed, excited to see the girl back. "Thank you so much for coming! Jessy was supposed to help me out today but she's sick and I'm just over my head with this order." Anna wondered for a second if Shawn was really happy to see her because of the help it meant or if maybe Rapunzel was right and the girl liked her. Shawn was 25, she had graduated from Arrendale a few years back and had set up the shop that had been a success from the very first day. Not only was the shop well stocked with unique flowers and great service, the girl behind the idea was very popular in town and well known for her creativity, kindness and beauty. She was a bit taller than Anna, with golden blonde hair and green eyes that captivated everyone.

"Well, I'm here," Anna said smiling, taking an apron from the rack and slipping it on. She could feel Shawn's eyes on her as she did this but she did her best not to look at her.

"You look nice in that shirt," Shawn said and Anna felt herself blush.

"Thanks! So, what's next?" she asked looking at the half finished arrangements all over the place and trying to get Rapunzel's words out of her head. They got to work on them and had them finished in a little over two hours. Anna texted Rapunzel and she agreed to pick her up 15 minutes later.

"Thank you so much, I don't know what I'd do without you," Shawn said gently touching Anna's arm. "Anna…I know you're trying to save up some money so I wanted to ask if you'd be willing to put in a few extra hours in the next months. We have a lot of events going on and the orders are racking up. It would be great to have an extra pair of hands. I know you're really busy with school and I don't want to get in the way of that but, maybe you can come in whenever you have a couple hours to spare?" The offer caught Anna by surprise, yes, she was trying to save up money, a task that was proving hard considering she sent most of the money she had to her parents and yes, she had said so much to Shawn because she was a really good friend but she didn't mean for her to feel forced to do this.

"Shawn, I really appreciate the offer but I know you have enough people hired to do the job and…"

"Anna," Shawn interrupted raising a hand to make her point, "I'd be glad to help and, even if we do have enough people working, you being here always helps to cheer this place up."

"Thank you," Anna said smiling, "but…"

"No buts, you can keep the shifts you have and then come in anytime you have the time and we'll add those extra hours to your paycheck, ok?" Shawn smiled as she said this and Anna couldn't help but agree and thank her. After all, she really could use some money for herself.

"Are you…doing something right now?" Shawn asked.

"Umm…I'm…Rap is picking me up," Anna was suddenly nervous.

"Ok, let's just have coffee some other time, sounds good?"

"Yeah, thanks Shawn. Let me know how the party goes." She said motioning to the arrangements and wondering if Shawn wanted to have coffee as a friend or if it was an attempt to ask her out.

"I will hun, have fun with Rap."

"Thanks, see you tomorrow." Anna walked out onto the street to wait for Rap and quickly got into the car when she pulled up. "Hey."

"So…did she confess her true love for you?" Anna rolled her eyes at Rapunzel's comment.

"Stop it, you're making me nervous."

"Well…I'm sorry but guess what? This time I was actually right."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see." Rapunzel smiled.

"I'll see what?"

"Wait until we get back home." Anna knew Rapunzel well enough to know that once she made up her mind not to tell her something, there was no way she'd get it out so she tried to be patient while they looked around the bookstore. Her friend bought a couple books but she couldn't concentrate enough and ended up waiting for the brunette by the car. "Geez…anxious much?"

"If you won't tell me what's going on, can we just get back home so I can see it for myself?" Rapunzel laughed and got into the car. She kept stealing glances at her friend knowing that even if she was being honest about not thinking about Shawn romantically before, she would like the surprise that was waiting at home. Any girl would. Once they climbed the stairs and got to their apartment, Rapunzel let Anna open the door. When Anna did, her jaw dropped.

"What…?" she didn't even know what to say. There was a huge tulip arrangement in the middle of the living room. It was made in orange, pink and purple flowers, her favorite color combination (one Shawn obviously knew about) and there was a small envelope attached. She turned to look at Rapunzel who was standing by the door smiling. "Did Shawn send this?"

"Well, read the note Anna!" Rapunzel urged her on. Anna stepped closer to the flowers and pulled the note out of the envelope.

_Anna,_

_I know this might come as a surprise after two years of friendship but I have always liked you and I can't keep pretending like I don't anymore. Please let me take you out sometime, I promise you won't regret it. I know you've had a hard time this last few months, you deserve this and so much more…_

_I hope you like the flowers._

_Shawn_

_P.S. My offer for those extra hours still stands and won't change, no matter what you say to this._

_P.S. 2 I am right outside the building, wear a coat if you decide to come._

Anna was shocked to say the least. She turned to see Rap's big smile. "You knew about this!"

"Of course I knew! She's been asking for my help to do this for a few weeks now."

"And you didn't feel like you should tell me, your best friend, about this?"

"It would have ruined the surprise."

"Rap, I just…she's…I'm not…"

"Anna, you deserve this." Rap said taking a step closer to her friend. "You haven't been out with anyone in months and honestly, what have you got to lose?"

"I just don't know if I like her that way?"

"Well, you're never going to find out if you don't give it a try, are you?" Anna thought about this for a second and decided that Rap was right. It was just one date, if it didn't work out, she was sure they could get over it and keep working in harmony. Plus…even if things ended up badly, she wasn't planning on working in the flower shop for much longer anymore.

"Fine…I'll grab my coat." She said and Rapunzel could tell that even though Anna was pretending to be a bit annoyed, she was excited. Rapunzel broke into a smile.

"She's a good person Anna, give it a shot."

"I will Rap. Thank you," Anna said finally smiling. She looked at herself in the mirror and put on some more make up. Then she walked out to find Rap waiting for her. "I have a date," she said excitedly.

"Have fun girlfriend," Rap said and raised her hand for Anna to high five it. Anna did and then walked out the door.

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**Of course...it's only fair for there to be a little competition. Things are better when you have to work hard to get them, right?**

**Let me know what you guys think! I love reviews!**

**Nice week everyone!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hi everyone. I'm sorry this update came in on Monday but I wanted to let you know that it is my intention to upload chapters every weekend and I will do my best to make sure this happens.**

**Also, I wanted to let you know that the fluff and romantic stuff will come, but it will take a while, although, Elsa and Anna are about to meet each other which is going to be great! So please, bear with me and thank you so much for having an interest for this story. I really appreciate the followers and people who have read this and I would also be very thankful of any reviews or comments you'd like to make. Please feel free to share your thoughts.**

**That being said, I don't own Frozen but I do hope you enjoy the story.**

Elsa parked at her designated spot right next to the building's elevator and stepped into it and pushed the 23rd floor button. Her father had given her the Pent House of this brand new building at the time just over 6 months before, as a gift when she had gotten her MBA. The elevator went straight up, something she was grateful for because all she wanted to do was to be alone. She opened the door to her apartment and dropped her purse on the table at the entrance and hung her coat in the closet. She walked over to the kitchen and pulled a bottle out of her wine cooler, she figured she deserved it after what she had just done. She had turned her phone off the moment she got into her car so even if her father was trying to reach her, it wouldn't work. She wanted a few moments of peace and happiness before reality sunk in. She didn't even want to think about the consequences of her decision just yet. For now, all she wanted was a bubble bath with a bottle of her favorite wine and strawberries. She started filling her tub and then went back to the kitchen to grab the strawberries, rinsed them and put them on a plate, grabbed the bottle of White Zifandel and a glass and headed on to her en suite bathroom. The tub was almost full so she dropped in a bubble bomb and waited for the foam to cover the water. She placed the bottle, the glass and the strawberries close by and then stripped and stepped into the hot water. It was the perfect ending to a stressful day. She reached over to a series of buttons on the wall to turn on some relaxing music and then grabbed her cup, took a sip and leaned back. It was easy getting lost in the relaxing sensation of the bath, however, much as she tried not to think about it, anxiety started to creep into her mind. Had she done the right thing? She had always complied with what her father demanded so what would happen now? She had a pretty decent amount of money saved up but what was she supposed to do? Get a job? Invest in a new business? She drank some more wine and gave herself 30 minutes to enjoy the moment. Then, she knew she needed to talk to someone. Bay.

"Hi honey, how are you?" Bay's soft voice calmed Elsa down right away. She had freaked out at the number of voice and text messages she had from her father when she turned on the phone even though she didn't even check them. She had called her friend right away. Bay was a girl she had grown up with. Their parents made business together and the girls had grown up under very similar circumstances so it was easy to relate to one another.

"I'm not so sure, I actually need to talk to you about something…" Elsa said.

"I know…your dad called mine and he's been ranting about it. I tried calling you but I figured you needed a while to take it in."

"Of course he would do that…" Elsa said thinking about his dad.

"Do you want me to come over?"

"Yes, please." Elsa wasn't one to ask for help often but this was something she definitely needed to talk about and if there was one person who would understand, it would be Bay. She hung up feeling a bit calmer knowing that she was coming. She didn't even have to call security at the building's entrance because Bay's car was registered and she was there so often that she knew everyone's name and everyone knew to let her in. It was barely 20 minutes before the doorbell rang. Elsa opened it and welcomed the hug her brunette friend gave her.

"Oh Elsa…." Bay was the same height as Elsa but she was wearing high heels whereas Elsa had stayed barefoot after her bath so the brunette had to lean down a little to hug her.

"Come in," Elsa said and walked into the living room. Bay noticed she was wearing sweats. Elsa never wore sweats. They sat on the couch, face to face and Elsa pulled her legs under her.

"Well, tell me, what's going on inside that pretty head of yours?" Bay said as she pushed a wet lock of hair out of Elsa's face.

"I don't know Bay…did I do the right thing? Am I crazy? I mean…this is what we are meant to do, right? But why does it feel so wrong?" it wasn't common to hear Elsa speak a lot, much less ramble so Bay couldn't help but laugh a little. "What are you laughing about?" Elsa said suddenly annoyed at how her friend was reacting. She hit her on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry Els, it's just…you're always so composed and elegant and just completely in control of everything, it's nice to see you like this…"

"Like what? Worried that I made a terrible mistake?" Elsa wasn't in the mood for jokes.

"I'm sorry…I can only imagine what you're going through, but you know…you wouldn't be the first one to do something like this and succeed…I mean, look at my sister, she ran out on my dad and now she's got her own business going." They were both silent until Elsa figured out how to explain what was going on in her head.

"Yeah…I know, but still, it's like a part of me is absolutely happy, I don't think I've ever felt such freedom but then…this other part of me is terrified of what this means. Just because someone else made it doesn't mean I will be able to make it as well," Bay didn't know what to say. Her amber eyes stared deep into Elsa's ice blue ones.

"Isn't this what you've always wanted?" Bay offered.

"Yes…but now that I have it, I don't know what to do…" Elsa said as she turned to look at the snow falling harder than before outside the window.

"Isn't that the point?" Bay said smiling, "You can do anything now." _Anything. _The word vibrated inside Elsa's mind. She could. If she had gotten this far, there was nothing she couldn't do; she just needed some time to figure out what it was that she actually wanted but suddenly she knew that it didn't matter what it was, there was nothing to stop her. She smiled just a little but Bay noticed the change right away. She threw her arms around her friend and even though Elsa was not very fond of hugs, even from the people closest to her, she was thankful for this one.

"You're staying, right? I heard there's a storm coming." Elsa said as they let go of each other.

"Only if you're making me dinner," Bay joked knowing that Elsa would never cook for her.

"We can order something." The building was part of a complex that included a hotel with several restaurants so, storm or not, she could always ask to have a meal brought in. Even though she'd said it, Elsa felt like maybe, for this one time, it would have been a good idea to cook for her friend. It was a secret pleasure of hers and even though she had never shared it with anyone, she knew it might not be such a bad idea for occasions like this.

The girls had dinner and wine and after a while they headed for bed. Elsa was more than happy to have someone to keep her company that night. As they lay in bed talking, Elsa let herself relax and immerse herself in whatever Bay was talking about, forgetting about what she'd have to face the next day. "…so, she's having a party because she'll be opening her second shop in town and she's really excited about it and my dad, even though he won't say it, is so proud of how she started from scratch."

"That sounds nice…I'm glad she's been so successful. I've never been to her shop but I've heard it's amazing."

"It is, and people are going crazy about it, she's completely booked with orders for private events like weddings and birthday parties and all so I think it's great that she's expanding. Even though she absolutely loves her team of workers, it's just getting to be too much."

"So when's this party?" Elsa asked thinking a party would definitely help her take her mind off things. For the past couple of years she had been so invested in her father's company that she hadn't had a lot of opportunities to go out or relax and even though she wasn't the most sociable person, she liked parties because she would always have a good time watching people, getting lost in a crowd without anyone knowing her name or her face.

"This Friday, it all happened all of a sudden because, apparently she was looking for a bigger place where she could move the business to but just yesterday she found this amazing spot right outside Bartcreek Mall and she decided to turn it into the second shop so, as you can imagine, she's going crazy with the regular business and the preparation for the party but I'm sure it's going to be amazing. You have to be there." There was a lot of excitement in Bay's voice.

"Sounds good, count me in."

"Great!" With that matter settled they decided to get some sleep. Bay had to be at the headquarters of her father's emporium early the next morning.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hi everyone. I hope you enjoy this part of the story, even though it will take a few chapters for th Elsanna fluf to start, I promise the wait will be worth it. What's a good love story without a few problems to overcome on the way?**

**Anyway, thank you so much for reading and following!**

"Anna…" Shawn couldn't help but grin when she saw the redhead walk out onto the street. She looked beautiful and it surprised her that she had even agreed to come. She had been expecting the worst case scenario.

"Hi…" Anna said nervously tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Hey, you look…"

"Thank you," Anna interrupted without even waiting to hear Shawn's compliment. Shawn just smiled at the adorable girl in front of her.

"Shall we?"

"Yes, where are we going?"

"This way," Shawn said leading the way, "there's this local place I think you'll really like." It was a bit awkward at first. Both girls were silent, keeping their thoughts to themselves.

"Thank you for the flowers, they are beautiful," Anna finally spoke,

"Oh, well, I'm glad you liked them…"

"Of course I did," Anna smiled slightly, "you knew I'd love them."

"Yes…but that did not necessarily mean you'd like them coming from me…"

"Shawn I…" Anna hesitated to say what was in her mind but Shawn kept quiet until she continued, "thank you for the flowers and for asking me out, I just don't want anything to happen that could turn into an issue at work I guess…"

"Hey, it's ok, look, I've been wanting to ask you out for a while now and I did because you're single and, well, I like you, but I understand what you're saying and I really don't want you to feel uncomfortable or like you have to do this…" she was silent for a moment, "actually, there's something more to me asking you out tonight." This got Anna's attention. "But we can talk about that over dinner," Shawn finished smiling.

"Ok…?" Anna said now intrigued. "Hey did you have the chance to check the orders that are already starting to come in for Christmas? Apparently orchids are back, I think it might be a good idea to place an order soon, make sure they have enough to send us from the greenhouse." Talking about work was easy.

"I haven't even had the time to look into it but thanks for the heads up, I'll give them a call tomorrow."

"No problem." They walked a bit more in silence until they came into a set of stairs that led into an Italian restaurant that occupied the basement of a building. The place was small, with only four tables, one of them occupied by a couple eating a pizza. "Wow, this is really nice."

"You like it?"

"Yeah…I love this kind of places." Shawn just smiled at Anna's answer. They had been friends for quite a while now, it gave her an advantage.

"It's one of my favorites, and the food is absolutely delicious, you'll see." They headed over to one of the empty tables and took their menus from the waiter.

"Shawn!" the thick voice with Italian accent startled Anna. "I didn't know you were coming!" A tall, thin man with olive skin and bright blue eyes kissed both of Shawn's cheeks.

"I didn't know you would be here or I would have told you," Shawn answer back, "this is Anna, Anna, this is Mario de Luca, the owner."

"Hi, nice to meet you Mr. de Luca," Anna said stretching her hand but Mario leaned in to kiss both of her cheeks as well.

"Oh, no Mr. nonsense please, call me Mario." Anna smiled. "How is your father? Are you all set for the party?" Shawn cast a sideways glance at Anna. "He's doing good and yes, I think we're all set. I will give you a call tomorrow if that's ok just to check on the menu?"

"Of course Shawn, we'll take care of everything. Now I'll let you girls enjoy dinner. Salvatore!" He called the waiter, "a bottle of Chianti for the girls. On the house." Salvatore left to get the wine. "Buonasera!"

"Buonasera," Shawn answered back and with that he left. Anna was amused by the interaction, she felt very comfortable in the restaurant.

"You have a party on Friday?" Anna asked.

"Yes well…it's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about." Salvatore stepped up to the table and set down two glasses and started pouring wine into both of them and waited a moment for Shawn's approval. She took the time to take in the smell and then the taste. "It's great, thank you Salvatore." With that he left. Shawn looked at Anna, on the opposite side of the table, waiting expectantly. "I didn't want to talk about this with anyone until everything was set but I will be opening another shop because everything's going so well and I think it's time to start growing."

"Oh, wow," Anna was surprised and happy for Shawn.

"So, there will be a few changes going on, of course," she took in a deep breath, "I'm going to need someone to take care of the new shop for me and it has to be someone responsible and trustworthy and, of course, the first person who came into mind was…well, you." Anna's eyes grew a big wider and Shawn smiled amused at her reaction. "I know it's asking a lot but that's why I want you to come in a few extra hours during the week, I'd like to train you and show you the ropes so you can take care of things as the manager of the second shop. I think you'll do great."

"Wow…Shawn, it's…I wasn't expecting this…" Anna was shocked. Not only did she not expect it, she wasn't sure about whether this would fit her plans. She had been thinking about staying with Shawn for a few more months before applying for the internship she was so looking forward to and she didn't know whether it was fair to accept the offer if she meant to leave in a short time.

"Look, before you say anything, I know what you're thinking, I know you have other plans in mind for your future, the internship and all, but I would really appreciate it if you could take the time to consider my option…"

"But…" Anna tried to interrupt.

"Wait, there's more to it beautiful…" the last word made Anna blush a little and she couldn't suppress a small smile forming in her lips. "The shop has proven to be an amazing business and, it's not something I've talked to many people about but I've been getting a lot of offers to buy it as a franchise, so I've been working on this for a while and, if everything goes well with the second shop, the idea is to start selling franchises by the end of next year, so, what I want to offer you is, well, obviously to have a raise right now but also, if you stick with me during this year, I'd be more than happy to give you the first franchise, wherever you want it." Anna's mouth was slightly open by this point. When she didn't say anything, Shawn continued, "I know it's a lot to ask, but I really need someone like you by my side running this business and, for you, Anna…I just don't see you in a big corporation all dressed up and pretending to be serious, you are the kind of girl that needs freedom and working for someone else will never give you that. I mean…a franchise is still kind of like working for someone else but it's a great way to make some money and start your own business one day." She really hoped she could convince her.

"Wow…I…this is a really big deal…" there were a million things going through her head. This sounded like a great opportunity and of course, this was a big deal and something she should think about, even though it would mean forgetting about what she had planned about getting the internship and working her way up the company, she knew Shawn came from a family that owned one of the biggest corporations in the country and had probably all the knowledge and support to turn her flower shop into a huge firm, plus, she was right about the fact that working in a office all day wasn't exactly Shawn's idea of happiness but it was something she was sure would make her enough money to really help out her parents and make sure they wouldn't have to worry about anything else for the rest of their lives. The flower shops…even if Shawn did have her family's support, it was a new concept, a new company, there's was always a probability of failure, however small. "Can I have a few days to think about this?" she asked.

"Of course," Shawn's face lit up with a smile. She had been afraid of Anna turning down the offer just like that. "Why don't we just forget about this and enjoy dinner and I'll just wait for you to make up your mind."

"Yeah, ok." Anna smiled and picked up her menu. Shawn stared a little longer at the younger girl in front of her. She hoped she'd say yes, she knew she could be great at running a business and had high hopes for her, plus…if they started dating, it would make everything so much better.

"Would it be ok if I ordered antipasti to share?"

"Sure…whatever you like." After that conversation, the air seemed lighter. They shared dinner, happily drinking the bottle of Chianti and relaxing, talked like they did back at the shop, about everything and nothing, joking, laughing and enjoying the company. After they were done with dinner, Shawn paid and wouldn't accept Shawn's offer to pay for her part at least.

The girls started their walk back to Anna's apartment. The night's air was chilly and Anna hid her hands inside her jacket.

"I had a really good time tonight," she said looking at Shawn and then back at the road in front of her quickly.

"Me too, thank you for coming."

"Well, thank for dinner and the offer and everything." Anna was a bit nervous after all. Was Shawn going to try to kiss her? Was she expected to kiss her as a thank you for the evening? What was Shawn expecting? Their walk back was silent but comfortable.

"See you tomorrow at work?" Anna asked as they came up to her building. She stood in front of the steps and turned to face Shawn.

"Yeah, I'll see you there, thank you for coming…"

"Thank you…" Shawn leaned in closer to Anna and kissed her cheek softly, lingering a second too long to judge the girl's reaction and when she felt her smile, she moved closer to her lips, looking into her eyes. Anna was nervous but it felt nice, she moved a bit closer to close the gap between their lips. Shawn kissed her softly, her hand on Anna's cheek. Anna's hand moved up to Shawn's shoulder. It was short but sweet kiss. Both girls smiled as it ended. "Good night, beautiful." Shawn said taking her hand back, not being able to contain the big smile on her lips. Anna smiled as well, still a bit nervous about the situation.

"Good night, Shawn." She turned around and walked into her building.


End file.
